Thomas McCown

Research Interests

Dr. McCown’s overall research entails the development of viral vector gene therapy for the treatment of neurological disorders. With a primary focus upon intractable temporal lobe epilepsy, Dr. McCown continues to refine the use of site directed gene therapy, as well as advance the potential of an intravenous AAV gene therapy. In addition, Dr. McCown has employed AAV capsid DNA shuffling and directed evolution in order to discover novel AAV vectors that exhibit unique, therapy related properties. These studies have resulted in the discovery of chimeric AAV vectors that upon intravenous administration, can selectively cross the seizure compromised bloodbrain barrier, as well as novel vectors that exhibit unique cell specific tropism in the CNS.